A ~1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy investigation of the hippocampus in chronic schizophrenia

Objective To explore metabolism changes of hippocampal region of patients with chronic schizophrenia by single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS).Methods 1H-MRS examination of bilateral hippocampus was conducted in 25 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 25 cases healthy controls.Metabolisms of NAA,CHO,and Cr were examined and the ratios of NAA/Cr and CHO/Cr were calculated.Results The NAA/Cr ratio in patients(left 2.05±0.14,right 1.98±0.17) was significantly lower than that in normal controls(left 2.19±0.13,right 2.17±0.14)(P0.05).The CHO/Cr ratio in patients(left 1.30±0.12,right 1.25±0.18) was significantly higher than that in normal controls(left 1.04±0.15,right 0.95±0.13)(P0.05).Conclusion Our data suggest that chronic schizophrenia patients may have neuronal loss or dysfunction and abnormal turnover of membrane phospholipid in bilateral hippocampus.